Greasy Neale

Alfred Earle Neale

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 170 lb.
• School West Virginia Wesleyan College
• High School Parkersburg High School
• Debut April 12, 1916
• Final Game June 13, 1924
• Born November 5, 1891 in Parkersburg, WV USA
• Died November 2, 1973 in Lake Worth, FL USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Neale in 1922.

Known better as a football coach than as a baseball player, outfielder Greasy Neale was a regular for the Cincinnati Reds for five years and starred for the club in the 1919 World Series.

A star in baseball, football, and basketball at West Virginia Wesleyan College, Neale joined the Reds in 1916. He hit .294 the next year and stole more than 20 bases for four straight seasons starting in 1917. During this time, he was a teammate of Jim Thorpe, who would also go on to greater reknown on the gridiron. Neale had 10 hits and batted .357 in the World Series in 1919 as his team defeated the Chicago White Sox in eight games. Dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies after the 1920 campaign, he was soon back with the Reds, for whom he ended his major league playing career in 1924.

After his playing career ended, Neale was a St. Louis Cardinals coach in 1929. He also managed the Clarksburg Generals of the Middle Atlantic League for parts of three seasons.

Away from the diamond, Neale played football in the pre-NFL Ohio League. He later coached college football for many years in the baseball off-season, leading Washington and Jefferson College to the Rose Bowl in 1922. He was the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL for a decade beginning in 1941 and led them to championships in 1948 and 1949. Overall, he was 78-55-11 in the college ranks and 71-48-6 in the NFL. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Notable Achievement

• Won a World Series with the Cincinnati Reds in 1919

Related Sites

• Greasy Neale at the SABR Bio Project